Due to the changes in the industry structure, described previously, CGIL's role in providing genetic evaluations for particular traits will be lessened. The only remaining such efforts are for sheep evaluations which are still in evolution, and genetic evaluations for sow reproductive traits in swine.
The new role of CGIL is more research oriented and advisory to the industry and to groups within each species industry. CGIL is still reliant upon industry groups and the federal and provincial governments for research funding. Governments like to match the dollars that are contributed by industry and this has been very helpful to research within CGIL over the last ten years. Industry groups are also very supportive in helping CGIL to acquire or maintain our faculty positions through the bridging process, whereby industry supports a new faculty person up to the time when another faculty member retires.
In dairy cattle, the Dairy Data Simulator, could potentially be used to address many genetic evaluation model validation problems. Similar software could be written for other species. In fact, the Dairy Data Simulator was based on a simulation program for poultry production, and a swine nucleus herd simulation program is being written.
The research projects conducted by CGIL will be based on the priorities of the funding agencies, which usually have CGIL personnel involved in the establishment of those priorities.
Below is a list of all past CGIL research fund providers, which we gratefully acknowledge:
| Agricultural Adaptation Council |
| Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada |
| AviGenics, Inc |
| Beef Improvement Ontario (BIO) |
| Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement |
| Canadian Dairy Network (CDN) |
| Canadian Hereford Association |
| Canadian Network of Toxicology Centres |
| Cattle Breeding Research Council/DairyGen |
| Flax Council of Canada |
| Food Systems Biotechnology Centre |
| Genex |
| GUARD |
| Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council |
| Ontario Centre for Agricultural Genomics |
| Ontario Egg Producers Marketing Board |
| Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs |
| Ontario Pork |
| Ontario Research Development Challenge Fund |
| Ontario Swine Improvement |
| Poultry Industry Council |
| Semex Canada/Semex Alliance |
| Shamrock Group/Quality Swine |
| St. Andrews Atlantic Salmon |